Michael Jordan

Arguably the GOAT in the NBA, professional basketball player and entrepreneur, Michael Jordan was born February 17, 1963, in Brooklyn. Growing up in Wilmington, North Carolina, Jordan developed a competitive edge at an early age. His father James confirms this, “What he does have is a competition problem. He was born with that…The person he tries to outdo most of the time is himself.”

Jordan made an impact early on scoring the final basket needed to defeat Georgetown University in the NCAA Division I championships in 1982.

Jordan left college after his junior year to join the NBA. Drafted by the Chicago Bulls, he helped the team make it to the playoffs. For his efforts there, he received the NBA Rookie of the Year Award. With five regular-season MVPs and three All-Star MVPs, Jordan became the most decorated player in the NBA dominating the league from the mid-1980s to the late 1990s.

Being one of the most marketed athletes in history, it was an easy transition for Jordan to become a leading entrepreneur. Major spokesman for such brands as Nike, Coca-Cola, Chevrolet, Gatorade, McDonald’s, Ball Park Franks, Rayovac, Wheaties, Hanes, and MCI, Jordan was ranked by Forbes Magazine as the 20th most powerful celebrity in the world in June 2010. Jordan still maintains primary owner of the Charlotte Bobcats.